If You Do It, Charge For It, Part II
Unless you’re running a non-profit organization, you need to write complete estimates and charge for all materials used. You say it’s not worth the time or hassle for the pittance you’ll gain? Then how about making out that check for 40 grand to me?
Body Shop Fraud: A Question of Intent
A New Jersey body shop customer has some questions that no one, it seems, wants to answer.
Capitalize on Cold Weather
A mild winter doesn’t have to bring a chilling end to your shop’s profits and steady workload. By adding seasonal profit centers and specialized winter service, you’ll boost your bottom line and customer relations.
Pick Me! Pick Me!
If you want to close the sale, you need more than a well-written estimate and a “Give us a call if you decide to schedule it.” You need to develop a system tailored to customer needs and train your estimators and front desk personnel to sell.
If You Do It, Charge For It
It’s like the old saying, “Why buy the cow if the milk is free?” Insurers aren’t going to offer to pay for materials and procedures if you don’t charge for them. That would be crazy. It’s even crazier if you aren’t charging them.
Keep the Cash Flowing
Profitability and cash flow aren’t the same thing: You may have a backlog of profitable jobs scheduled, but no money to pay the bills. How do you overcome this? Learn to manage three things: owner’s extras, accounts receivable and accounts payable.
4 Structural Repair Laws to Live By
Many of us still rely on the might of the hammer and the sweat of the brow to return a twisted pile of sheet metal back to a safe and serviceable vehicle. But you can reduce that sweat by using a little common sense and applying a few laws of physics.
Brushing Up on Paint Basics
Whether your paint technicians have been with you two months or 20 years, a quick refresher course on the foundations of paint mixing and application is always time well spent.
Retaining Good Law Information
Working to level the playing field between shops and insurers, Chicago attorney Patrick McGuire has created a program where he’s at the beck and call of shops in need of law advice. To the many shop owners he’s helped educate, McGuire is collision repair’s answer to Ann Landers.
What to Do When Sales Suck, Part I
While there isn’t always a quick fix for sagging sales, examining volume and production will reveal what went wrong – and what needs to be done to pull your shop out of the red.